Add BrightSurf on Google Email

New study reveals unintended ethical faultline in team-based reward systems

A new study published in the Journal of Business Ethics found that team-based reward systems can lead to employees remaining silent when witnessing unethical behavior from fellow team members. The research suggests that these systems can create an environment where undesirable behavior is suppressed, making it less likely to be reported.

SourceUniversity of Bath·JournalJournal of Business Ethics·TypeObservational study·DateMar 13, 2024

Yoga provides unique cognitive benefits to older women at risk of Alzheimer’s disease, study finds

A UCLA Health study suggests Kundalini yoga can improve cognitive function, memory and brain health for postmenopausal women. The study found that yoga prevented brain matter decline, reversed aging and inflammation-associated biomarkers – improvements not seen in a group who received standard memory training exercises.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences·JournalTranslational Psychiatry·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateFeb 26, 2024

Researchers overestimate their own honesty

A study by Linköping University researchers found that most scientists believe they are better than average at following good research practices. However, the results also show that researchers tend to overestimate their own ethical behavior, which can lead to polarization in the research world and hinder interdisciplinary collaboration.

SourceLinköping University·JournalScientific Reports·TypeSurvey·DateFeb 26, 2024

Can’t stand gossip? New research suggests that gabbing about others is ‘not always a bad thing’

Gossiping provides a social benefit by disseminating information about people's reputations, helping recipients connect with cooperative individuals while avoiding selfish ones. This allows gossipers to gain an evolutionary advantage as their actions influence others' behavior and encourage cooperation.

SourceUniversity of Maryland·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateFeb 21, 2024

Why we hate to wait

A study by Annabelle Roberts explores the internal negotiations that occur when people feel impatient, including the desire for closure. The research finds that people become more impatient as their wait nears an end and offers lessons for marketers to make waiting less annoying.

SourceUniversity of Texas at Austin·JournalJournal of Personality and Social Psychology·TypeObservational study·DateFeb 15, 2024

Does your community have a personality type?

Researchers developed a novel approach to measuring community personality and found that people in like-minded communities tend to be happier, healthier, and more highly achieving. Communities differ significantly in terms of personality traits, with some counties having high proportions of open-minded or conscientious individuals.

SourceFlorida Atlantic University·JournalCurrent Research in Ecological and Social Psychology·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateFeb 7, 2024

Study finds easy things we can do to cope with traumatic loss

A new study by North Carolina State University finds that daily activities called 'uplifts' can significantly improve emotional well-being after a traumatic loss. These uplifting activities, such as engaging in hobbies or spending time with loved ones, are found to be particularly beneficial on days when individuals report feeling older.

SourceNorth Carolina State University·JournalApplied Psychology Health and Well-Being·TypeObservational study·DateFeb 7, 2024

Perceived time has an actual effect on physical healing

New Harvard study finds that perceived time influences actual physical healing time, challenging conventional beliefs about psychological influence on health. The study used a standardized procedure to mildly wound volunteer subjects and found that wounds healed faster when participants believed more time had passed.

SourceHarvard University·JournalScientific Reports·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 2, 2024

Giving video games this Christmas? New research underlines need to be aware of loot box risks

A new study by the University of Plymouth shows that at-risk individuals are more likely to engage with loot boxes than those without, highlighting the need for stricter enforcement around these features. The research found that loot box use is driven by beliefs such as 'I'll win in a minute', echoing the psychology seen in gambling.

SourceUniversity of Plymouth·JournalRoyal Society Open Science·TypeMeta-analysis·DateDec 20, 2023

Prone to abandoning New Year’s resolutions? Bayes’ research suggests blaming money worries rather than being time-poor

Research by Dr Janina Steinmetz found that people are more likely to see others as having good self-control if they blame a lack of money rather than time for abandoning New Year's resolutions. Studies involving around 1,200 participants showed that excusing financial constraints leads to better perceptions of self-control.

SourceCity St George’s, University of London·JournalEuropean Journal of Social Psychology·TypeSurvey·DateDec 15, 2023

Canadians’ feelings about the causes of obesity are often harmful to self-esteem, new Concordia study shows

A Concordia University study found that Canadians of all sizes hold negative attitudes towards individuals with overweight and obesity, often internalizing these feelings and blaming their own behavior. The study also showed that females are more likely to report weight bias internalization than males.

SourceConcordia University·JournalBMC Public Health·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateNov 22, 2023

Do extracurricular activities always give children a head start? Research says maybe not

A study by Dr Lixin Ren found that extracurricular activities have a limited impact on math skills in preschool children, with effects dependent on behavioral regulation and approaches to learning. For children with poor self-regulation skills, structured activities can improve early math skills.

SourceXi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University·JournalJournal of School Psychology·TypeObservational study·DateNov 15, 2023

Social-behavioral findings can be highly replicable, six-year study by four labs suggests

A six-year study by four labs found that employing best practices in psychology research, including pre-registration and large sample sizes, resulted in highly replicable social-behavioral findings. The researchers replicated 16 novel findings with an average replication rate of 97% and no evidence of decline over repeated replications.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Barbara·JournalNature Human Behaviour·DateNov 9, 2023

fMRI study finds correlated shifts in brain connectivity associated with overthinking in adolescents

A recent study from Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and colleagues found that Rumination-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (RF-CBT) can reduce rumination in adolescents. The study also showed correlated shifts in brain connectivity, suggesting that RF-CBT can help young people break the painful mental loops that contribu...

SourceOhio State University Wexner Medical Center·JournalBiological Psychiatry Global Open Science·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateOct 27, 2023

Youngest children in class with ADHD as likely to keep diagnosis in adulthood as older pupils, find scientists

Children diagnosed with ADHD at a young age are just as likely to retain the diagnosis in adulthood as their older peers, according to a new study. The research, which examined data from over 6,500 patients globally, suggests that the youngest children in class are not more likely to lose the diagnosis over time.

SourceUniversity of Southampton·JournalThe Lancet Psychiatry·TypeMeta-analysis·DateOct 26, 2023

The term “antimicrobial resistance” has little meaning to the public and should be renamed

A study by Dr Eva Krockow found that existing terms for antimicrobial resistance, such as 'antimicrobial resistance' and 'AMR', are not taken seriously enough, failing to evoke risk perceptions. The researchers suggest renaming the term to a more memorable one that can effectively convey the severity of the issue.

SourceUniversity of Leicester·JournalCommunications Medicine·TypeNews article·DateOct 26, 2023

Children as young as four eat more when bored

A new study at Aston University shows that children aged four and above consume 79% more calories when they are bored compared to a neutral mood. Children who were emotionally fed often ate five times more kilocalories when feeling bored.

SourceAston University·JournalFood Quality and Preference·TypeObservational study·DateOct 24, 2023

People who communicate more, show expertise are more likely to be seen as essential team members

A new study by Carnegie Mellon University reveals that individuals with strong communication skills and expertise are more likely to be chosen as central members of a network. As a result, teams that choose their own central member perform better than those with randomly assigned members. The study highlights the critical role of commu...

SourceCarnegie Mellon University·JournalFrontiers in Psychology·DateOct 23, 2023

You don’t lose if you snooze

Regular snoozers who get an extra half hour of sleep show no negative effects on night sleep, mood, or cognitive abilities. In fact, they tend to wake up feeling more alert and quick-thinking.

SourceStockholm University·JournalJournal of Sleep Research·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 18, 2023

Virtual reality helps people with hoarding disorder practice decluttering

A pilot study suggests that virtual reality therapy can help individuals with hoarding disorder practice decluttering by rehearsing organizational and decision-making skills in a simulated environment. Seven of nine participants showed significant improvements in self-reported hoarding symptoms, with an average decrease of 25%, and eig...

SourceStanford Medicine·JournalJournal of Psychiatric Research·TypeObservational study·DateOct 16, 2023

Great expectations vs reality of food healthiness in online grocery shopping

A new study found that consumers tend to write negative reviews when their expected and actual nutritional values for food products do not match. This mismatch is the number one driver of negative reviews on online grocery sites. Consumers may be misinformed about the healthiness of foods due to inadequate nutritional information.

SourceUniversity of Connecticut·JournalJournal of Consumer Psychology·TypeSurvey·DateOct 2, 2023

Can ChatGPT help us form personal narratives?

A new study found that ChatGPT-4 can generate highly accurate personal narratives based on stream-of-consciousness thoughts and demographic details. The AI model was used in conjunction with therapists to guide patients toward healthier thoughts and behaviors, suggesting a potential tool for improving therapeutic approaches.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania·JournalThe Journal of Positive Psychology·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 29, 2023

Experiencing negatively-perceived emotions might prompt people to withdraw from a social group - specifically, shame for individualistic societies, but anger for more collectivistic cultures

A recent study published in PLOS ONE reveals that experiencing shame leads to disidentification in individualistic societies, while anger triggers this effect in collectivistic cultures. The findings highlight the distinct emotional responses to social withdrawal in different cultural contexts.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·DateSep 6, 2023

More than meets the eye: New research shows how the visual system contributes to memory

A team of researchers identified neural dynamics that our visual system uses to transform what we see into what we do, demonstrating that working memory relies on both what one is storing and why. This new understanding challenges traditional theories of working memory, which state that storage codes are stable over time.

SourceNew York University·JournalCurrent Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 17, 2023